According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), nearly 25% of all Americans over the age of 12 binge drank alcohol in 2013, and 6.8% of the population drank heavily. That is, they binge drank more than once a week in the month before filling out the survey. Even more startling, 9.5% percent of the population were illicit drug users. Unlike many addiction recovery centers, our substance abuse recovery program, through patience, care, and Christ, can help all of these users.
WHAT IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE?
The same NSDUH survey considered 8.5% of the population to be substances abusers. Substance abuse, as defined by the World Health Organization, is the harmful use of mind-altering substances that can turn into a dependency on those drugs. Many substance abuse recovery programs failed to reach roughly 30 million Americans who suffered from drug dependency.
People often think substance abuse only takes place with the use of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine or other hard drugs, but we know how many users grow dependent on prescription medication, marijuana and alcohol. If any of these drugs have taken over the life of a loved one, our faith-based substance abuse recovery program can help.
DUAL DIAGNOSIS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Dual diagnosis refers to the diagnosing of a mental health disorder in someone suffering from drug dependency. These two diagnoses commonly occur together. The Substance and Mental Health Administration found that those with mental health disorders are twice as likely to abuse drugs.
SELF-MEDICATING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Less than half of dual-diagnosed substance abusers seek a substance abuse recovery program or help for their mental health concerns. Often dual-diagnosed abusers begin abusing drugs as a way of self-medicating.
Alcohol or other intoxicants temporarily reduce anxiety or depression. When substance abusers come down from their high, these feelings of anxiety, self-hate, or depression often return even stronger than before. This can cause a vicious cycle where the user believes he or she can only feel “normal” when under the influence of drugs.
A SUBSTANCE ABUSE RECOVERY PROGRAM FOR THE WHOLE PERSON
Substance abuse recovery only works when the underlying causes of addiction and dependency are healed through patience, care, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Long term and faith-based substance abuse recovery programs like ours help substance abusers not only detox their bodies but also reassess damaging mindsets, destructive behaviors, and their entire belief system. We provide a social and religious structure to give relief from the endless cycle of dependency.
